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RI digs out after snow storm, widespread outages

Published on NewsOK
Modified: February 9, 2013 at 8:46 pm •
Published: February 9, 2013

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Frank Perry shovels snow from his front porch as the weight of the snow causes the bushes to sag, Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013, in Providence, R.I. A howling storm across the Northeast left the New York-to-Boston corridor shrouded in 1 to 3 feet of snow Saturday, stranding motorists on highways overnight and piling up drifts so high that some homeowners couldn't get their doors open. More than 650,000 homes and businesses were left without electricity. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)

A statewide travel ban was lifted at 4 p.m. Saturday. The governor had ordered people off the interstates and then off roads completely to keep them clear for snow plows. No major accidents or injuries were reported on state highways, although dozens of cars got stuck in the snow, state police Lt. William Jamieson said.

All flights leaving T.F. Green Airport on Saturday were canceled, although a handful of flights were scheduled to arrive Saturday night. Trains from Providence were also canceled. Public transit officials said service could resume on Monday.

Providence Mayor Angel Taveras, who briefly lost power at his home, asked residents to check on family members and elderly friends and neighbors to make sure they were warm and safe.

"We're going to need patience," he said. "The city is working around the clock until everyone has their power back and everyone has the ability to travel."

Not wanting to let the snow go to waste, Rebekah and John Speck strapped on cross-country skis and journeyed through the winter landscape of the city's East Side. They waited out the storm indoors playing chess and talking.

"There was some wine and whiskey," Rebekah Speck said.

"We both look forward to this," said John Speck. "We're winter people. We love this."

Across the neighborhood, Jennifer and Jason Harrison were making progress in clearing the 3 feet of snow that blocked their driveway and sidewalks. Jason Harrison had been working for nearly three hours with the assistance of a snow blower, but still had more work to do.

"Once every 30 years or so a storm like this is fine," he said, adding that his snow blower "has already paid for itself."